Locomotive-headlight.



Patented N0v.9,1.909.

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D/Witness Z5 (f5, 5.5. ufichc r (y WI 3% 1 LIA HAMBY & sv BUTGHEB.

LOGOMOTIVB HEADLIGHT. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 19, 1907.

I desired direction.

I SlATEtQ PATENT esse A. HAMBY AND SAMUEL s. nuronnn, or COLUMBUS,GEORGIA.

LQCOMOTIVE-HEADLIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

Application filed. December 19, 1907. Serial No. 407,225.

20 all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that We, JosnrH A. HAMBY and SAuUnL S. Bo'ronnn, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Columbus, in the county ofMuscogee, btateof Georgia, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Loconiotive-Headlights; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

The present invention relates to improvemei-ts'in locomotive headlights.

Owing to the fact. that head-lights for locomotives, as now constructed,are stationary-with respect, to the engine boilers on whichrthey aremounted, it has been found impossible to properly light up a curvebefore running on it, or while traveling over it, or to light up thestraight track ahead while traveling around the curve, as the lightbeamis thrown only in one direction, ina straight line directly in front ofthe locomotive and in line with its longitudinal axis.

It isthe object of the present invention, therefore to overcome thisdefect by providing a: locomotive head-light which is so mounted on itssupporting-plate as to follow the track atall times, to cast its lightin the A further object consists in the provision of a. headlight soconstructed as to turn automatically on its axis with the track, to

properly light up the same at all times and.

to be entirely independent of the engine truck and the movementsthereof.

With the above and other ends in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination, and arrangement of -parts, all as hereinafterfully set forth, specifically claime d,'and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated bycorresponding reference numerals in the several views.

Of the said drawings Figure 1 is a fragmental side elevation of alocomotive pro vided with the improved head-light. Fig. 2 is a top planview of the operating mechanism for the head-light. Fig. 3 is a detailview of the gear segment. Fig. 4: is a ver- Fig. 5 is a plan view of theguide. Fig. 6

is an enlarged detail sectional view illns= trating the manner ofmounting the headlight.

Referring more particularly to the draw: ings, '7 designates, generally,the boiler of a locomotive, upon which is mounted by means of brackets8' a longitudinally-disposcd supporting-plate 9 for the head-light- 10and. its operating mechanism. Bolted or otherwise secured to this plateadjacent the rear end thereof is an upstanding L-shaped bracket 11 whoseforwardly-projecting horizontal arm 12 extends directly over saidplateand is connected at its forward end by a T joint 12 with the top memberof an inverted U-shapeol bracket 13, whose arms are secured attheirlower ends to the plate 5). The forward arm of the T joint. and the topmember of the bracket 13 carry a depending bifurcated hanger 13, whosethreaded stem passes through alining perforations formed therein. Tosaid hanger is pivoted the rod let of a pendulum whose weight 1.5 hasformed in its lower face a threaded socket into which the upper end of apin 16 is removably fitted, the lower end of the pin extending throughslot 17 formed in the arm 18 of a gear segment 19 loosely mounted upon astub-shaft 20 set into the plate 9. Directly beneath the arm of saidsegmentis secured a transverse]y-disposed guide plate 21 which issupported slightly above the plate 9 and has formed therein alongitudinal slot 22 into which the pin 16 likewise extends, beingadapted to travel therein during the swinging movement of the penduluni.

The gearsegment vabove referred to meshes with a gear secured to astubshaft 24: whose lower end extends loosely through a perforation inthe supporting plate and is fitted in a bearing-cup 25, se cured to theunder face of said plate, while its upper portion. in like manner,extends through registering perforations formed axially in a pair ofbearing-plates 26 and 27 the upper plate ill being secured to thebottom-of the headlight, as shown in Fig. (3, the upper end of saidstub-shaft being likewise fastened in an preferred manner to thehead-light bottom. The plate .27, which is disposed bet worn the plate36 and the gear i-t. is stationary and is supported upon a series offeet 28 secured to the plate 9. lhe

mutually-adjacent inner faces of the plates 26 and 27 are provided withrace-grooves in which a series of antifriction bearings 30 are disposed.

It will be understood, obviously, that where it is intended that thetrain take the curves without'appreciably decreasing its speed, theouter rails of the curves must be slightly superelevated. On the otherhand, where speed is not an essential, the train may travel more slowlyat such times, and the rails need not be superelevated. The inventionwill operate with equal efficiency under both conditions, but one or theother must of necessity be present.

Owing to the pivotal mounting of the pendulum, it will be apparent thatwhen the locomotive travels upon a right-hand curve the pendulum willswing in one direction, and will swing in the other direction when thelocomotive travels in a left-hand curve.

Such movement of the pendulum, by reason of the extension of its pin 16through the slot in the arm of the gear segment, will cause the latterto rotate in a corresponding direction, such rotation being transmittedto the front gear 23, to whose shaft the plate 26 and With it thehead-light 10, is secured, so that it will be evident that any rotationof said segment will directly effect the 'corre sponding movement of thehead-light in the same direction, the extent of the movement of thehead-light being directly pro ortionate to the length of the aredescribed by the pendulum. It will thus be apparent that the beam oflight thrown by the head-light will fall at all times directly upon thetrack traveled-by the locomotive and that such beams will follow anydeviations and curves in the track.

The provision of anti-friction bearings between the plates 26 and 27allows the head-light to move with freedom upon the plate 27 whichserves to support its weight in a great measure, while the pivotalmounting of the pendulum permits an easy movement of the latter.

The supportingplate 9. is spaced suliiciently above the boiler to allowthe pendulum free movement out of contact therewith.

\Ve are aware that it has been proposed to pivotally mount a locomotivehead-light and connect the same by levers with the front truck, so thatmovement of the truck in one direction or the other will correspondinglyrotate the head-light, but such construction is faulty since theconnecting links or levers between the truck and head-light are apt tocontact with the boiler and to be injured thereby. \Ve have thereforedevised the present construction in'which the head-light and itsactuating means are entirely independent of and unconnected with thelocomotive truck.

I l l I poscd \Vhat is claimed is 1. The combination, with a supportingplatform, and an upstanding bracket secured thereto and including aforwardly-projecting arm, of a gear segment rotatably mounted upon saidplatform and including a slotted arm; a slotted guide plate arrangedtransversely of the latform and in spaced relation thereto, said guideplate being disposed beneath said slotted arm; a member secured to theforward end of the bracket arm; a rod pivoted'at its upper end to saidmember, and provided at its lower end with a weight; 21 depending pinsecured to the weight, said pin extending through the slots in thesegment arm and guide plate, to rotate the segment during the swingingmovement of said rod; a gear mounted upon said platform in mesh withsaid segment; and a head-light connected with the lastmentioned gear.

2. The combination, with a supporting ulatt'orm, and an upstandingbracket secured thereto and including a forwardly-projecting arm, of agear segment rotatably mounted upon said platform and including a aslotted arm; a slotted guide plate arranged transversely of theplatform, and in spaced relation thereto, said guide plate beingdisbeneath said slotted arm; a member secured to the forward end of thebracket arm; a pendulum pivoted at its upper end to said member, andhaving its lower end extending through the slots in the segment arm andguide plate, to rotate the segment during its swinging movement; avertical pin rotatably mounted upon the platform in advance of thesegment; a gear secured to said pin intermediate the ends thereof, saidgear meshing with said segment; a headlight secured to the upper end ofsaid pin; a plate disposed between the last-mentioned gear and thehead-light and secured to said platform, said plate being provided witha central opening through which the in loosely extends; and a series ofanti-friction bearings interposed between said plate and.

the bottom of the headlight.

3. The combination, with a supportin platform, and an upstandingbracketsecure thereto and including a forwardl -projecting arm, of a gearsegment rotatab ly mounted upon said platform and inc riding a slottedarm; a slotted guide plate arranged transversely of the )latt'orm, andin spaced relation thereto, saiil guide plate being disposed beneathsaid slotted arm; a member secured to the forward end of the bracketarm; a rod member, an provided at its ower end with a weight; adepending pin securedto the weight, said pin extending through the slotsin the segment arm and guide plate, to rotate the segment during theswinging movement of said rod, a vertical pin rotatebiy mouzrie upon theplatform in advance of the se m a gear secured to said pin e the endsthereof, said gear with said segment; a head-light V e. if. the upperend of said pin; a plate mspssed between the last-mentiened gear and thehead-1ight,and secured to said platplaie being provided with a centralOpemeg threugh which the pin loosely extends; and sen-es ofanti-frietie'n bear- In testimony whereof, we affix our signatures inpresence of two Witnesses.

' JOSEPH A. HMviBY.

SAIKEUEL S. BUTCHER.

P. PAMARANCE, J. E. SLAUGHT R.

